< img src=" https://edugist.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/images-7.jpeg" alt="" > The Federal government has actually eliminated the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) requirement for candidates looking for admission into Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE) programmes as well as National Diploma (ND) non-technology agriculture and agriculture-related programs in polytechnics and colleges of agriculture across the country.
The announcement was contained in a statement released on Monday by the Federal Ministry of Education through its Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade.
According to the ministry, the approval followed a stakeholders’ meeting assembled by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, on April 30, 2026, as part of efforts to tackle restrictive admission processes restricting access to tertiary education.
The ministry stated the policy is aimed at minimizing the number of out-of-school adolescents, enhancing access to tertiary education opportunities, and increasing involvement in teacher education and farming manpower advancement programmes.
Regardless of the exemption from UTME, the government clarified that all potential prospects would still be required to get the Joint Admissions and Admission Board application and process their admissions through the JAMB Central Admission Processing System (CAPS).
The statement noted that existing minimum admission requirements for the afflicted programs remain unchanged, while all candidates should submit their O’Level results on the JAMB website before being thought about for admission.
It added that admission letters for all afflicted programmes would continue to be released exclusively by JAMB after due verification and compliance checks.
The ministry also revealed a one-time retroactive condonement workout for NCE trainees admitted outdoors CAPS throughout the 2025/2026 academic session.
According to the standards, the workout will run from June 1 to August 30, 2026, and will cover eligible students transitioning from Year One to Year Two as well as those moving from Year 2 to Year Three.
” All affected Colleges of Education are needed to upload information of eligible students admitted outside CAPS within the stipulated period to guarantee proper documents on the JAMB platform,” the declaration stated.
The Federal government cautioned that admissions conducted outside the JAMB CAPS henceforth would be considered prohibited and space.
It likewise directed provosts, rectors and primary officers of afflicted institutions to immediately stop releasing independent admission letters to potential trainees.
The ministry stated regular monitoring and compliance exercises would be carried out in collaboration with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, the National Commission for Colleges of Education and the National Board for Technical Education to ensure complete implementation of the policy.
Speaking on the advancement, the ministry specified that the federal government stays dedicated to expanding access to quality tertiary education, reinforcing instructor education, revitalising farming training, and improving transparency and accountability in the admission process.
” The Honourable Minister of Education reaffirmed Government’s dedication to broadening access to quality tertiary education, strengthening teacher education, revitalising farming training, and improving transparency, performance and responsibility in the admission procedure throughout the nation,” the statement included.
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